Chapter 240
As soon as Jaxson slipped out of Swallow Blade’s sight, he moved away. There was no need to signal anyone separately.
‘Savage bastard.’
Every time he disappeared, he sensed his presence. Half of it was on purpose, to see if he’d notice, but that was some impressive perception.
No sound, no trace.
He slipped through the grass, moving so lightly it barely stirred, like a bee landing.
Jaxson put his skills to work, and avoiding that idiot Swallow Blade’s eyes was nothing.
So he infiltrated the hut where the hostages were held.
He’d hustled as soon as he was out of sight.
‘This isn’t something to do for free.’
He hadn’t been hired for this—neither through the guild nor personally. Was he trying too hard?
That fleeting doubt vanished as quickly as it came.
His body moved first.
It was an unfamiliar experience, but not a bad one.
Anyway, for now, he was part of the Madman Company.
So he slipped into the abandoned hut.
“How?”
Vell recognized Jaxson and asked.
“Well.”
Jaxson answered briefly and then cut the ropes binding Vell’s wrists and ankles.
His dagger moved a few more times, and the hostages were quickly freed.
Then Jaxson guided them to the back of the hut, where there was a small side room.
Why go to such a cramped place?
Everyone looked confused, but Vell, who went first, asked,
“Did you break through the wall?”
Jaxson pointed outside instead of answering.
Rather than going through the door, he’d sliced open a new exit at the back with his sword.
A back door, in effect.
He’d cut the wall so easily thanks to his special magic weapon, but there was no reason to explain that—or answer their questions.
Jaxson did his job.
“Go.”
He didn’t trust the enemy to keep their word, so he acted on his own. Clearing these people out first would help that idiot commander, too.
Now, not being seen was crucial.
It was the only way to prevent that creep from killing the woman he was holding.
‘The captain said he’d protect them.’
So he’d make it so.
Jaxson thought it was a strange thing for him to do.
‘Not killing, but saving.’
How out of character.
And without even getting paid.
But it was what his captain wanted.
So, after rescuing all the hostages, he peeked out the window to check on the fight.
The giant was charging, the whip-sword moved like a snake, about to strike from behind, and then Encrid’s body moved. Jaxson saw it in that instant.
—
He met the charging shield with his left hand, unleashing the [Heart of Monstrous Strength].
He braced and pushed it aside.
The force of the shield flowed to the side.
Then something came down vertically—a sword swung by the half-blood giant from above. It was a follow-up after the shield attack.
And behind him, a sharp killing intent closed in.
Encrid deflected the shield, blocked the whip-sword with his shoulder guard, and pivoted his right foot back to shift his stance.
A technique learned from Audin—redirecting with the body.
As he moved, he swung his sword upward, meeting the giant’s descending blade and letting it slide off, sapping its force.
It was the [Fluid Sword Technique]—redirecting everything. His training paid off.
And all of this happened in less than half a breath.
Thunk, ping, clang! Chirrriing!
He deflected the shield, blocked the whip-sword, redirected the blade.
Sparks flew, but he let everything glance off, so the impact was mild. He had energy left for the next move.
As he finished, Encrid kicked the half-blood giant’s shin with his toe.
Crack!
The giant took it and pulled her shield back, swinging it like a club.
The whip-sword struck from behind again.
Encrid calmly parried, blocked, and redirected.
Somehow, even though it was just solid basics, there were no gaps.
How is that possible?
Swallow Blade wondered, but the half-blood giant had no doubts.
She understood his movements at a glance.
‘Faster, stronger, more flexible.’
If you move first, anticipate, and have superior strength, you can do this.
‘Ah.’
He was reading her moves. The half-blood giant almost let herself get swept up in the fight again, but couldn’t.
“Take this!”
Swallow Blade yelled from behind.
Chwiriririk!
The hostage—pale as a sheet, too scared even to scream—was hurled overhead.
A perfect throw aimed at Encrid. Since she was alive, he couldn’t just knock her aside—a tough challenge.
The hem of her skirt was damp, as if the weapon had wet itself.
Time slowed. His gaze shifted. He took in both the flying hostage and Swallow Blade.
The whip-sword, like a snake, went for his ankle.
Encrid spun completely around.
The half-blood giant would have had to swing her shield or sword, but—
Why did they fight with Encrid between them? For this very moment, manipulated by Swallow Blade’s poisonous tongue.
Yet, her hand wouldn’t move.
Encrid responded to the whip-sword by flicking his boot at it.
The tip of his boot was sliced off, but his toes were fine.
Then he gently caught the flying hostage.
Catching her, he cushioned her with his knee and spun, dispersing the force.
If there were a contest for catching flying people, he would’ve won.
“Are you alright?”
He asked, and Juri, the marmalade maker, couldn’t answer—she was that shocked.
“I can’t do it.”
A husky voice from behind. The half-blood giant spoke.
“Is that so?”
Encrid glanced back and replied, unconcerned.
“Yeah, I can’t do it.”
She nodded.
She didn’t want a fight like this. Her orders were to kill, but she just couldn’t go through with it.
‘This isn’t right.’
Her mind said no, but her heart wouldn’t move her hand.
She gave up. No one noticed, but in that moment, she also gave up her life.
It was no different from suicide.
But—
‘I don’t think I’ll regret it.’
She thought, and let her hand drop. She had no will to fight.
“You crazy bitch!”
Swallow Blade screamed. But as if not surprised, he dashed away.
Where was he going? He was headed for the hut with the hostages. He moved fast. Encrid had options to stop him.
He could throw a dagger or charge after him.
He might not block him perfectly, but he could buy time, maybe even stop him from reaching the hut.
But there was no need.
Swallow Blade burst through the hut door. Encrid watched.
The movement of that whip-sword lingered in his mind.
‘The tip of my boot got cut.’
He’d meant to parry after dodging, but at the last instant, the blade had twisted at an unexpected angle.
How to handle that next time?
He thought of at least seven ways. All the experience he’d built up was blooming in his body now.
Pell may have fastened the last button, but he’d been sewing them on all along. If he couldn’t sew, he’d make a new button if he had to.
So Pell didn’t deserve all the credit.
“…Damn it.”
Swallow Blade muttered.
Of course he’d curse.
The hut would be empty by now.
‘Jaxson was there.’
Encrid had expected it, even if Swallow Blade hadn’t.
“Surprised?”
Encrid was about to set the hostage down when the half-blood giant reached out her hand.
“I won’t hurt her.”
She’d refused to stab him in the back, and wouldn’t hurt the hostage, either.
As expected.
Encrid handed the woman to the half-blood giant. She gently set her on the ground.
Encrid walked toward Swallow Blade.
Slowly, steadily.
The ground was wet from the rain, his boots squishing as he walked.
Swallow Blade turned his head at the sound.
“You took the hostages? Liar!”
Look at that. As shameless as Rem.
Stabbing people in the back and calling someone else a liar?
“Pretty thick-skinned, aren’t you?”
Now, there was no room for smiles.
Swallow Blade held a sword in one hand, the whip-sword dangling from the other, and took his stance.
Encrid brought his sword up behind his head, his hand by his right ear.
A Middle Sword Style finishing stance—Rage Stance.
“To cut down a charging lion, to cut through solid steel.”
Remembering Ragna’s words, he fell into the stance naturally.
What to do if the whip-sword is tricky, or if it comes back even after you cut it? Just cut everything.
‘There’s nothing in the world that can’t be cut. If I can’t cut it, I’m lacking—or my equipment is.’
Those were Ragna’s words.
A crazy slacker, but undeniably a genius. It was luck to learn the sword from him.
“Hey, I’m definitely going to kill you.”
Swallow Blade said, dropping his intact sword.
Kill? How?
Encrid was confident, not arrogant.
Swallow Blade was no match for him.
Even before he met Pell the shepherd, he could have handled him.
If he was willing to get hurt, he could’ve killed him.
Of course, that was before Swallow Blade used the whip-sword.
Now?
He wouldn’t lose. He could cut him. He would.
That repeated resolve planted a small seed in Encrid’s heart.
A formless energy learned through rejection. He hadn’t let it sprout, but the seed was there.
“Go ahead.”
He said.
“Yeah, you bastard.”
Cornered, Swallow Blade reached into his coat.
Projectile Sword Technique? What’s he throwing?
Encrid’s guess was off. What came out was a scroll.
It was Encrid’s first time seeing such a tool—an artifact.
A scroll, an extremely rare item.
A spell sealed in a scroll, activated at the moment it’s needed.
Magic is mysterious; spells are strange.
“Burn!”
With a shout, Swallow Blade threw the scroll at Encrid.
Encrid didn’t realize it was a scroll. He’d never seen one before.
But his sixth sense warned him.
Something bad would happen.
And it did.
Fwoosh!
The scroll burst into flames, and a huge fireball appeared, crashing down.
Not as fast as an arrow, so it could be dodged.
But even as he took his stance, Encrid mapped out the scene in his mind.
‘If I dodge?’
The fireball would fly past, toward the half-blood giant and the woman who’d wet herself.
Even if the half-blood giant blocked it with her shield, if it exploded—
The woman he’d just saved would die. Encrid’s mind raced.
He judged everything in an instant and pulled the best move from Rage Stance.
Thud!
He dashed toward the fireball.
He kicked off the ground, breath drawn in, sword raised, hand gripping the blade, body moving in balance.
He brought all of himself together.
Whoom!
That’s the sound it made.
To Swallow Blade, Encrid’s body blurred and stretched like an afterimage.
‘Idiot!’
Swallow Blade was certain of victory.
What kind of swordsman charges at a fireball bare-handed?
If it hits, it’s over—serious injury. He won’t be able to stop me.
The half-blood giant had withdrawn, but she wouldn’t interfere.
Victory, exhilaration! The euphoria of releasing pent-up murderous intent.
Their thoughts crossed at the moment Encrid’s body reached the fireball.
The most rational action from Rage Stance—Encrid’s fingertips drew it out.
Pivoting on his left foot, he sent the force from toe to waist to hand—a diagonal slash with the Middle Sword Style.
Whoosh!
It all happened in an instant.
From a tree beside the hut, Jaxson’s brow twitched as he watched.
‘He’s cutting it?’
The sword slash, starting from Rage Stance, cleaved the fireball.
The fireball flying through the air split in two along the path of the sword.
The two halves fell to either side of Encrid.
Boom! Boom! Crack-BOOM!
Explosions erupted. The wet earth instantly dried and flew in all directions.
A few burning stones grazed Encrid’s head and struck his back.
Having spent his strength, Encrid knelt on his left knee. He replayed the moment he cut the fireball, then stood up.
“Hmm. I can cut it.”
His admiration was almost bland.
If it worked, great. If not, he’d have been a bit burned.
Maybe half his face would be scarred.
But Encrid cared more about not giving up and not backing down than about his looks.
So, Encrid cut through magic.
